10 paediatric vaccination centres to close on Apr 30 amid high uptake of COVID-19 jabs

SINGAPORE: Ten paediatric vaccination centres across Singapore will cease operations on Apr 30 as most children aged five to 11 would have completed their primary vaccination series, said the authorities on Tuesday (Apr 5).

With the closures, two paediatric vaccination centres will remain - at Hougang Community Club and Senja-Cashew Community Club.

"MOH will progressively onboard selected Public Health Preparedness Clinics and polyclinics to provide paediatric vaccine doses to children who have yet to receive their primary vaccination series," said the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Ministry of Education and Early Childhood Development Agency in a joint press release.

Since COVID-19 vaccinations were extended to children aged five to 11, there has been a "good uptake of vaccinations" among this age group, authorities noted.

As of Sunday, 79 per cent of eligible children have either booked an appointment for or received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, while 66 per cent have received their second dose.

Among primary school students, 85 per cent have received their first dose, while 74 per cent have had both doses.

Additionally, about 33,000 children born in 2016 and 2017 have registered on MOH’s National Appointment System. More than 30,000 have received at least their first dose, while about 23,000 have received their second dose, the authorities said.

The 10 centres that are closing will accept appointments made via the national booking system for first dose appointments up to Apr 9 and appointments for second doses until Apr 30.

Parents or guardians who wish to walk in for their child's first vaccine dose appointments at any of the closing centres should also do so by Apr 9, the authorities said.

"We urge parents/guardians to take full advantage of the capacity and good geographical spread of our VCs while they are still in operation over the coming month," they added.

"Vaccinations remain a critical part of our strategy in ensuring our children are well protected against severe illness should they be infected with COVID-19."